BladeRF 2.0 micro xA9

The bladeRF 2.0 micro xA9 is a Software Defined Radio (SDR) featuring a frequency range from 47 MHz to 6 GHz, a 61.44 MHz sampling rate, 2×2 MIMO channels, and USB 3.0 SuperSpeed connectivity.

The xA9 features the largest-in-class 301KLE Cyclone V FPGA, an essential component for hardware accelerators and HDL signal-processing chains, including FFTs, Turbo Decoders, transmit modulators and filters, and receive-acquisition correlators for burst modems.

The xA9\\\\\\\'s 301KLE FPGA provides significantly more programmable space than the xA4, making it better suited for demanding FPGA-based applications.

The bladeRF does not ship with any accelerators or signal-processing chains. These must be designed by the end customer or sourced from third-party suppliers.

• bladeRF xA9 with 301KLE Cyclone V FPGA
• USB 3.0 SuperSpeed cable

• Micro Enclosure
• BT-100 Bias-Tee Power Amplifier (TX)
• BT-200 Bias-Tee Low Noise Amplifier (RX)

• Product Datasheet
• Getting Started Guide
• bladeRF-wiphy
• EU Declaration
• bladeRF 2.0 micro Brief
• Schematics REV 1.6
• Schematics REV 1.4
• Schematics REV 1.3
• Mechanical DXF File
• Mechanical Estimate STEP File
• Software Support and Additional Resources

The bladeRF 2.0 micro xA9 is a next-generation Software Defined Radio (SDR) offering a frequency range from 47 MHz to 6 GHz, a 61.44 MHz sampling rate (capable of up to 122.88 MHz), and 2×2 MIMO streaming. Its compact form factor is designed for both high-performance and mobile applications.

Through libbladeRF, the bladeRF 2.0 micro is compatible with GNU Radio, GQRX, SDR-Radio, SDR#, gr-fosphor, SoapySDR, and other software on Windows, Linux, and macOS.

The RF shield cap protects sensitive RF components from electromagnetic interference (EMI) and provides additional thermal dissipation, allowing the bladeRF 2.0 micro to operate reliably in demanding environments.

All RF SMA ports are capable of supplying power through bias-tee circuitry to wideband amplifiers and preamplifiers. Power to bias-tee peripherals is fully software-controlled, providing maximum operational flexibility.

Official bias-tee peripherals include the BT-100 wideband TX power amplifier and the BT-200 wideband RX low-noise amplifier.

At the core of the bladeRF 2.0 micro is an Intel Cyclone V FPGA, formerly manufactured under the Altera brand. The xA9 features a 301KLE FPGA, of which approximately 292KLE are available and user-programmable. This large FPGA is particularly well suited to accelerating HDL-based modems.

An advanced clock architecture allows the bladeRF 2.0 micro to receive and provide its 38.4 MHz fundamental clock to and from other devices. An onboard PLL can also lock the VCTCXO to a 10 MHz reference signal. The xA9 includes a highly accurate and stable oscillator, with an onboard DAC used to apply the factory-calibrated frequency trim.

The Power Distribution Network (PDN) combines low-noise and high-efficiency switching and linear regulators. The bladeRF 2.0 micro can operate solely from USB bus power, while an external power source can be used to maximize linear performance when powering bias-tee peripherals.

The PDN also features automatic source selection and hold-over circuitry to optimize power consumption between USB and external DC power.

The bladeRF 2.0 micro can operate in headless mode without being connected to a PC or SBC. Its onboard flash memory is large enough to store a full FPGA image for the xA9.

View the bladeRF 2.0 micro block diagram

High speed, low latency, and increased power delivery over a single cable make USB 3.0 SuperSpeed an ideal interface for a wide-bandwidth radio front end connected to modern computers. The Cypress FX3 microcontroller includes a powerful ARM9 processor and sufficient bandwidth to utilize the full-duplex 5 Gbps USB 3.0 link.

An Altera Cyclone V FPGA provides the interface between the FX3 and the RF transceiver. It offers single-cycle access to embedded memory, dedicated 18×18 hardware multipliers for DSP, and a large number of general-purpose logic elements available for custom programming.

The Analog Devices AD9361 is a fully integrated, high-performance RF transceiver designed for next-generation wireless protocols. It can support applications ranging from simple FM audio to advanced broadband wireless communication systems.

The bladeRF design has been tested and verified to meet high performance standards. The device is capable of transmitting and receiving high-order modulation schemes with high fidelity. At peak RF performance, the bladeRF can support 2×2 channels with up to 56 MHz of bandwidth across its operating frequency range, with low distortion and EVM values around 1%.